AP Modern World History Flashcards: Causes of World War I
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What role did 'intense nationalism' play in causing World War I?
Intense nationalism was a significant contributing factor that, along with other issues like alliances and imperial competition, helped escalate tensions into war.
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What role did 'intense nationalism' play in causing World War I?
Intense nationalism was a significant contributing factor that, along with other issues like alliances and imperial competition, helped escalate tensions into war.
How did the 'flawed alliance system' contribute to the outbreak of a global conflict?
The flawed alliance system combined with territorial conflicts and nationalism, escalating regional tensions into a widespread global conflict.
What was the relationship between imperialist expansion and competition for resources before WWI?
Imperialist expansion directly fueled the competition for resources, as nations sought to build empires to secure raw materials and markets, increasing international tensions.
Define 'imperialist expansion' as a cause of World War I.
Imperialist expansion was a cause of WWI that involved nations competing for resources and control over various territories and regions around the globe.
Based on the text, identify a primary economic cause of World War I.
A primary economic cause was the competition for resources that arose from imperialist expansion among world powers.
What was the combined effect of territorial conflicts, a flawed alliance system, and intense nationalism?
These factors combined to escalate existing tensions, ultimately leading to the outbreak of a global conflict.
Which factor described in the text explains how a regional dispute could become a world war?
The flawed alliance system is the factor that explains how territorial and regional conflicts were able to escalate into a global conflict.
Identify two political or diplomatic factors that led to World War I, according to the text.
Two key political and diplomatic factors were the flawed alliance system and intense nationalism, which amplified regional and territorial conflicts.
What were the four main underlying causes of World War I mentioned in the text?
The main causes were imperialist expansion and competition for resources, territorial and regional conflicts, a flawed alliance system, and intense nationalism.
What are 'territorial and regional conflicts' in the context of WWI's causes?
These were disputes over land and influence in specific areas that, when coupled with other factors, contributed to the larger global war.